With just three more games to go and nine points left to play for, has Manchester City taken a step closer to winning back-to-back EPL titles? City beat Manchester United in the derby midweek to move one point clear of Liverpool with the same games played in a much needed win. Liverpool will play on Friday night where they can reclaim top spot, but City will get a chance to get that back yet again on Sunday as the champions of the league look like going down to the wire. From here out, dropped points for either side could be fatal.

It’s not just the top dog that is in focus in the homestretch, there are battles on four fronts.The last two Champions League spots are in question and the relegation battle heats up as well. In last week’s round of play, twenty-one points were available to the four teams vying for third and fourth place. Shockingly, those Big Six clubs managed to claim a combined total of just four points.

Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham all had double-game weeks. The Gunners and Red Devils each lost both of their matches, while Spurs won one and lost one. Chelsea played only one game, and could only muster a tie with 15th-place Burnley. Just six points separate third-place from sixth with three games remaining, so the race for those last two UCL tickets is still wide open.

The relegation picture is becoming more clear as well. Huddersfield and Fulham are already down, of course, and Burnley’s draw with Chelsea took them to the 40 point threshold that is generally considered sufficient to avoid relegation. That leaves Cardiff and Brighton to struggle for that crucial 17th-place finish that brings Premier League survival. Cardiff trail Brighton by 3 points but face just one of the Big Six over their final three matches, while Brighton must face two elite sides.

The run-in is sure to bring us drama and excitement at both ends of the table, then. Would we expect any less from the world’s best, most competitive professional football league?

SCHEDULE

RESULTS – MATCHWEEK 35

POINTS TABLE

WHAT WE LEARNED IN MATCHWEEK 35Find out how Christian Eriksen leads the way in the PL as we highlight the standout stats from Matchweek 35

Manchester City 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Phil Foden scored his first Premier League goal for City, becoming the third-youngest to do so for the club after Micah Richards and Daniel SturridgeAFC Bournemouth 0-1 Fulham
Fulham have won their first back-to-back Premier League matches since April 2014, when they beat Aston Villa and Norwich City under Felix MagathHuddersfield Town 1-2 Watford
Gerard Deulofeu has six goals in his last five Premier League away matches. He has eight goals and two assists in his last nine appearances in all competitionsWest Ham United 2-2 Leicester City
Leicester have gained 14 points this season from losing positions, behind only Liverpool’s 16 and West Ham’s 15Wolves 0-0 Brighton
Wolves had 47 shots vs Brighton this season without scoring, the highest such total against a single opponent since Spurs’ 51 against West Ham in 2010/11Newcastle United 3-1 Southampton
Ayoze Perez’s hat-trick was Newcastle’s first in the Premier League since October 2015, when Georginio Wijnaldum scored four times vs Norwich CityEverton 4-0 Manchester United
Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson has been directly involved in nine PL goals against Man Utd, with five goals and four assists. It is more than he has managed versus any other club in the competitionArsenal 2-3 Crystal Palace
Roy Hodgson became the seventh different manager to win a Premier League away match at both Highbury and Emirates Stadium. The others are Alan Curbishley, Sir Alex Ferguson, Gerard Houllier, Harry Redknapp, Jose Mourinho and Kenny DalglishCardiff City 0-2 Liverpool
Liverpool have amassed 88 points in the league this season, their best ever total in a PL season. Adjusting to three points for a win, they have only earned more in a top-flight campaign in 1978/79 (98) and 1987/88 (90)Chelsea 2-2 Burnley
Ashley Barnes has 11 Premier League goals this season, the joint-most by a Burnley player in a single campaign in the competition alongside Danny Ings in 2014/15Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Since his Premier League debut in September 2013, Christian Eriksen has scored 21 goals from outside the box in the competition, more than any other playerWatford 1-1 Southampton
Southampton’s opener from Shane Long after just 7.69 seconds is the fastest goal scored in Premier League historyWolves 3-1 Arsenal
This was Arsenal’s heaviest Premier League defeat against a newly promoted team since a 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in May 1994Manchester United 0-2 Manchester City
City have overtaken Liverpool at the top of the Premier League. It is the 28th time the lead has changed hands and the joint-most in a single Premier League season since the 2001/02 season

MATCHWEEK 36: KEY FACTSFind out why history suggests Burnley will be tricky opponents for Man City this weekend

Liverpool vs Huddersfield
Mohamed Salah has scored in all three of his Friday PL matches for Liverpool, more than any other player for the club, along with Michael OwenSpurs vs West Ham
Spurs can complete their first league double over West Ham since 2012/13 and beat the Irons for a third time in a season for the first time everCrystal Palace vs Everton
Crystal Palace have alternated between victory and defeat in their last nine PL fixtures, winning 3-2 at Arsenal last time outFulham vs Cardiff
Cardiff can win a second consecutive top-flight away match for the first time since February 1957, having won at Brighton & Hove Albion in their last road tripSouthampton vs AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth are looking for their first away win against Southampton in all competitions, having drawn five and lost nine of their 14 visits so farWatford vs Wolves
Gerard Deulofeu has scored eight times and provided two assists in his last 10 matches in all competitions, but has not hit the net in his last eight at Vicarage RoadBrighton vs Newcastle
A goal for Salomon Rondon would put him alongside Ayoze Perez with 10 in the PL, giving Newcastle two players in double figures in a season for the first time since 2011/12Leicester vs Arsenal
Jamie Vardy has scored six goals in his last seven PL matches against Arsenal. He has only struck more times in total against Liverpool, with seven goalsBurnley vs Man City
Burnley have beaten the defending champions in each of their previous four PL seasons and can now make it five in a rowMan Utd vs Chelsea
Chelsea’s six PL wins at Old Trafford have all come under different managers, with five of them coming in the manager’s first such match at the ground with the Blues Courtesy – PremierLeague.com

GAME REVIEW – Our Super 8Liverpool vs Huddersfield
The Premier League kicks off on a Friday night where Liverpool will be the massive favourites to beat the already relegated and bottom club Huddersfield. Liverpool are unbeaten at home and with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have the quality to not just win this match but score lots of goals. Fact: Huddersfield last scored a goal against Liverpool in 1962. Since then it has been 7 losses and 1 defeat for 16-0. Or Liverpool have conceded as many as Huddersfield have scored.

Tottenham vs West Ham
Tottenham are looking good for a top 4 finish now after their last gasp win against Brighton moved them 3 points clear of 4th placed Chelsea. They will need to get the job done against West Ham. But all focus will surely be on their Champions League semi-final match against Ajax and we expect to see a surprise match where the team end even.Fact: West Ham are 15th in away form this season, but have conceded the 8th fewest goals away from home. Alternatively, they have only scored more than the bottom three.

Crystal Palace vs Everton
Palace have been in decent form and pulled off a superb result last week to beat Arsenal 3-2 at the Emirates. They have crept up the league well. Everton are in good form but still look questionable away from home and Palace could get a win. Watch out for Christian Benteke who was brilliant last week against Arsenal. Fact: Crystal Palace have drawn the very next game after upsetting a top six side this season.

Fulham vs Cardiff
Fulham are down but they proved the other week against Everton in a 2-0 win they are not out. There is still a lot of fight in Cardiff who have a belief they can still survive this season. Whoever is more hungry will surely win this game, and that could rest with the away side here. Fact: The last two games between these sides finished 4-2. 17 of the last 18 games between these sides has seen both teams score. Those 18 games have seen 65 goals in total.

Southampton vs Bournemouth
There is still the smallest of chances that Southampton could get involved in a relegation dogfight. But they have got some decent results under their belts the last few games and should be too much for their opponents. Watch out for Shane Long who appears to have his goal scoring boots back on. Fact: Southampton are undefeated against Bournemouth at home.

Watford vs Wolves
A really great clash here as the two surprise teams of the league season go head to head. Both are chasing 7th place and this should be a very close game. Wolves got a fantastic result beating Arsenal 3-1 in midweek.

Brighton vs Newcastle
Newcastle will put everything into this game because they have some tough fixtures to end the season and it won’t be easy for many more points. Ayoze Perez is on fire for the Magpies after his hat-trick in their last match. Brighton are in real trouble and could well be relegated. Fact: Newcastle haven’t beaten Brighton since they returned to the Premier League (2L 1D)

Leicester vs Arsenal
Leicester keep on battling and have been strong and came back to make it 2-2 away against West Ham in their last game. Arsenal have crumbled with losses against Crystal Palace and Wolves. Arsenal have the Europa League semi-final on their mind, but with a little luck can come away here with a scrappy victory. Fact: The home sides has won this fixture 3-1 in the last two outings. One each for Arsenal and Leicester.

Burnley vs Manchester City
Burnley have been back to their 2017/18 form in the past few weeks and the general theory is that they can give Manchester City a game here. But take out their 2-2 draw at Chelsea and they have not been beating quality teams on their good run. This match could be close but City are several levels from where Burnley are and they should continue their fantastic run. Bernardo Silva is in excellent form for City. Manchester City to beat BurnleyFact: Burnley have a decent record against Man City at home. Since 2014-15 their record vs Man City at home is one win, one draw , one loss. You have to ignore the recent run of games away to Manchester City were they have lost all four games by a combined total of 17-1

Manchester United vs Chelsea
There is a lot of pressure on United to perform and start winning games after losing against Everton and then Manchester City. This match in theory represents their final chance at a top 4 place. Chelsea are a quality team but United if they play to their potential can get all the 3 points. It’s about time Romelu Lukaku showed up though.

The curtains come down as we enter the final weeks of the 2018-19 Premier League season – that has seen the most thrilling title race, third and fourth place battle, Europa spot race and relegation dogfight in recent memory. Can it get any better than this?

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